France Valerie Obis Lucillo, a senior from the Philippines majoring in communications and intercultural peacebuilding, recently completed a spring-to-summer internship with Pacific Edge Magazine in Honolulu, gaining hands-on experience in communications, event promotion, creative projects, and social media. Working as a social media assistant intern to the magazine’s owner, Naomi Hazelton, Lucillo said the experience helped her become more versatile and confident in her abilities.
From Posting to Possibilities
Lucillo shared how she found her internship through Handshake, a resource recommended by Career Services. While looking through available positions, she came across Pacific Edge Magazine's opening for a social media intern.
The opportunity built upon skills Lucillo had already developed at BYU–Hawaii, as well as her work at the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). These experiences gave her a foundation of professional skills while helping her identify the areas of communication she hopes to pursue beyond graduation.
“What really helped me with getting my internship was being able to build credibility through my experiences here at BYU–Hawaii and working at the Polynesian Cultural Center,” Lucillo shared.
Lucillo also explained that her time at BYU–Hawaii has helped her recognize that communications and social media are more than areas of study; they are fields where she can truly thrive.
“Being here has helped me find my purpose and passion in communications and social media,” she said.
Veering Through Versatility
While Lucillo entered Pacific Edge Magazine primarily as a social media assistant, her role quickly expanded. She took on responsibilities that required her to think creatively and adapt to different needs, including graphic design, event planning, and organizing promotional events.
Rather than staying within the boundaries of one job description, Lucillo learned to approach each new responsibility as an opportunity to develop another skill. The internship's variety pushed her into areas she may not have encountered in a traditional school setting and showed her the value of being prepared to contribute in more than one way.
“I was able to learn and execute event planning, graphic design, and organize promotional events for the magazine,” Lucillo explained. “My internship stretched me in doing things I don’t typically get to [in a school setting] and helped me become more versatile. And I’m so grateful for that.”
For Lucillo, versatility is not simply about accumulating skills. It is about staying adaptable enough to meet new challenges and keep growing when circumstances require something beyond what she already knows.
Trusting Her Own Track
Perhaps the most lasting lesson Lucillo gained from her internship was a greater understanding of initiative. Working in a professional environment required her to trust her judgment, take action, and move projects forward without waiting for someone else to direct every step.
“My internship has taught me to focus on my own track and not rely on external validation to continue pushing out my best work,” Lucillo said.
That independence changed how she approached her responsibilities, allowing her to recognize problems and take steps to solve them herself.
“I also learned what it really means to take initiative,” she said. “I was able to take matters into my own hands to change things and get work done without relying on someone else.”
As she moves toward graduation, Lucillo hopes to carry the skills, relationships, and resources she has gained at BYU–Hawaii into a career where she can continue developing while helping others. She encourages fellow students not to limit themselves to the skills they already possess, but to remain open to responsibilities that can prepare them for what comes next.
